Graffiti Fest VII

Saturday April 23 @ Free Speech Zone

The world is a canvas in the eyes of many an incognito artist-by-night, armed with a few cans of spray paint. Graffiti artists add flares of color where there were only gray walls. The sometimes illegible fonts can be puzzling to passersby, but those within the scene—or those who carefully observe—can see the imbedded symbols and messages. And deciphering these modern-day hieroglyphics might become a reality at the seventh annual Graffiti Fest.

Buffing out the concrete walls behind Free Speech Zone before each festival is a lesson in embracing the transitory nature of art, says owner Raphael Cordray. She has invited eight artists to tag an allotted portion of the store’s outside walls during the informal, vandalism-free, open-house-style festival. Stalwarts of the Salt Lake City graffiti scene, including Endur and Poyse, will be on hand, while DJ Phantom will spin tunes to accompany the spraying and spectating.